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After a video surfaced on social media showing BJP candidate Madhavi Latha, contesting from the Hyderabad Lok Sabha seat, checking the identities of Muslim women voters at a polling station, BJP leader Shazia Ilmi supported Latha and said that as a candidate, she has a right to check the identity of the person.
Speaking with ANI, Shazia Ilmi said, "Madhavi Latha is a woman and a candidate. She has requested a woman wearing a burqa to reveal her identity, as a candidate she has this right." She added, "It has happened in the past where bogus voting has been done covering the face and therefore, it is her right to check the identity of the person." Stepping up her attacks on AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi, Ilmi said, "Owaisi is in fear as she ( Madhavi Latha) is giving him a tough fight. She is being accused and cases are being filed against her as Owaisi is afraid of her." A case has been registered against Latha checking the voter ID cards of Muslim women during her visit to a polling booth. The case has been registered under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act. Hyderabad, Collector in a post on X wrote, "A case is registered in Malakpet Police Station against Smt Madhavi Latha, contesting candidate, BJP under sections 171C, 186, 505(1)(c) of IPC and Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act." In the video, the BJP candidate can be seen asking Muslim women inside the booth to remove the Burkha and identify themselves, along with checking their voter identity cards. Speaking about the video, the BJP leader told ANI that she had only requested the women to verify their identity and there was nothing wrong with this. "I am a candidate. As per law, a candidate has the right to check the ID cards without the facemasks. I am not a man, I am a woman and with a lot of humbleness, I have only requested them - can I please see and verify with the ID cards? If somebody wants to make a big issue out of it, that means they are scared," she said. Madhavi Latha is pitted against a formidable opponent in the form of four-time Lok Sabha MP Asaduddin Owaisi, from Hyderabad Lok Sabha Constituency and BRS' Gaddam Srinivas Yadav. This is the first time that the BJP has fielded a female candidate from the Hyderabad constituency. (ANI)
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